Electrically-operated control mechanism for retainer valves



G. B. EDINGER AND J. S. McCOY.

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CONTROL MECHANISM FOR RETAINER VALVES. APPLICATION FILED AUG.6. 1921.

Lzwfigm Patented Nov. 28, 19220 7 min Pipe.

ammo c8 11 @12 $517 50 m. I I

Patented Nov 21?, 1922,

that he sheets GEORGE SB. EDINGER ANn sci-IN s. Manor, or reissues, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIGALLY-QPERATED CONTROL IEECHANISI/I F03 RETAINER VALVES.

Application filed August 6,

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, Gnonsn B. Ennvsnn and JOHN S. McCoy, citizens of the United States, residing at ldoxburg in thecounty of Clarion. and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically Operated Control Mechanisms for Retainer Valves, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to air brake systems, and particularly to retainingvalves therefor.

Retaining valves as iswell known, are for the purpose of retarding the release of the air from the brake cylinder and to retain. a pressure of a certain number of pounds in the brake cylinder while the engineer is recharging the auxiliary reservoir" preparatory to another application of the brakes.

The general object of the present invention is to provide means whereby an engineer of a train may it he so desires, pre vent the tree and unobstructed passage of air from the exhaust port of the triple valve and cause this air to pass into the retaining valve to thereby retain a certain amount of pressure in the brake cylinders and whereby if the engineer so desires the free and unobstructed exhaust or the air from the bralre cylinders may be permitted.

A further object is to do awaywith the necessity of trainmen shifting the retaining valves of the train while the train is in mo- .tion to thereby put the retaining valves into or out or" commission and provide means whereby the retaining valves of all of the cars are controllable by the engineer.

Astill further object is to operate the exhaust controlling valve by means of a magnet or solenoid suppliedwith current from the dynamo with which all engines are equipped, the circuit which includes all of these solenoids or magnets including aswitch disposed in the cab of the engineer whereby the engineer may close the electrically operated exhaust valves of all the cars at one time or cause the opening oi -these exhaust valves at one time;

Another object isto provide a device of this character which does away with the possible chance of a retaining valve being set in wrong position or carelessly forgotten to the number of flat wheels.

1921. Serial No. 490,433.

be released, thus savin b coal and reducing ing the ordinary and usual air brake media-- nism of a car and illustrating in'elevation our electrically actuated exhaust valve applied in connection with the retaining valve; Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the exhaust or release valve showing the valve in its open position; 1

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that in Figure 1 l have illustrated diagrammatically a part of the air brake mechanism of an ordinary car. In these drawings, 10 designates the auxiliary-reservoir, lithe brake cylinder, 12 the triple valve body generally, 13 the pipe connecting the triple valve body to the brake cylinder, 14 the pipe leading from the triple valve body to the train pipe 15, and 16 the retaining valve casing from which a pipe 17 leads to the exhaust port or chamber 18 of the triple valve. All of these parts are of any ordinary or usual construction and therefore demand no detailed description.

We have shown a conventional form of triple valve, and it will. be understood that any triple valve may be used and any type ct retaining valve may be used. The retaininn wave is assumed to be that type which is capableoi being set 'toretain a definite pressure within the brake cylinder and that releases air above this pressure and closes when the pressure in the brake is reduced to the amount for which the retainvalve is set. Disposed inthe pipe 17 is, a T119, from which extends a pipe 20 which enters into the valve casing 21 midway of its ends, this valve casing 21 being open. at its ends and provided with the spiders 2 forming guides for a valve rod 23. i The valve casing'is formed to provide two valve seats 24L, through the center of which the valve rod or spindle 23 passes,

and carried uponthis valve rodor spindle are a pair of valves 25 coactingwithsaid seats 24:. When the rod 23 .is shifted in one directiom-the valves 25 will close against the seats2avand free outlet from pipe 20 is prevented. On the other hand, the spring 26 acts normally to urge the valve rod 23 in a direction to hold the valves in an open position, giving a free and unobstructed exhaust to the air.

For the purpose of actuating this valve 23, weprovide an electro-magnetpreferably in the form of a solenoid and designated 27, and attach to the valve stem or rod 23 the core 28 of the solenoid. It will be obvious now that when the solenoid is energized by the passage of an electric current, the core 28 will be drawn up within the solenoid and the valves 25 will be closed against the seat 24 andagainst the action of the spring 26. When the magnet, however, is de-energize'd, the spring 26 will cause the opening of the valves 25. This solenoid 27 is connected in circuit with a source of current as for instance av generator on the engine,

I but which source of current is symbolized as a'battery 29 andin this circuit is disposed the switch 30. This switch is located in the engineers cab so that when the switch is closed the electric current will pass through the solenoidand when the switch is opened the current will cease to flow. It is to be understood that while we have illustrated one solenoid 27 disposed within the circuit including the switch 30 and the battery 29,yet it is intended that all of the solenoids of the train shall be connected in circuit withthis' single switch 3001", if'desired, that a number of solenoids in the train may be so connected to the switch, so that as regards any desired number of cars the, valves 25 may be closed upon an energizing of their respective magnets.

The operation of this mechanism will be obvious from what has gone before. When the triple valve is shifted by the usual mechanism to release the air in the brake cylinder 11, whichis the position of the triple valve show niin Figurel, the air from the'brake cylinder, will pass along the pipe 17 and if the valve-s25 be inopen position, the air will exhaust to the atmosphere through the p orts24t and the open ends of the valve body 21. If, however, it be desired that the retainingvalve mechanism shall become operative, then the engineer closes the circuit through the solenoid 2'7 and thereby energizes these magnets, causing the cores QSItobe drawn up withinthe solenoid, which closes the ports 24, 'p'reventsthe' free and unobstructed passage of the air from the brake cylinder to the atmosphere, and causes the air from the brake cylinder to act upon the usual retaining valve so that a definite pressure will'be retained within the brake cylinder 'in'the usual manner. It will be obvious therefore that when the valves 25 are closed that the retaining valve performs its ordinary functions, but; that when these valves 25 are opened'that the retaining valve is in efiectcut out and the exhaust is allowed to flow directly to the atmosphere. Attention is called to the fact that the valves 25 are balanced valves so that any pressure which would tend to close one valve tends to open the other valve and that thus the valve stem is balanced and the pressure will not act to open the valves. The same is true as to the closing of the valves and the valves will only be affected by the energizing of the solenoid. It is for this reason that we have shown two valves disposed in the casing 21.

lVe do not wish to be limited to the particular form of valves and valve casing which is disclosed in Figure 2, nor to the particular electrically actuated means whereby the valve is shifted, as modifications might be made and the device changed in detail in many respects without departing irOm the principle of the invention. It will be seen that thisconstruction is particularly simple and cheap and that it may be readily applied to air brake systems now in use without the change of any essential feature therein. The device places the'control of the retaining valve entirely in the hands of the engineer and he can either cause the use of the retaining valves under certain conditions for short time or he can put the retaining valves in operation for aslong a period as he desires. The current, as before stated, is supplied by the ordinary dynamo or generator found on all trains today and the wire conveying current to the several solenoids may be so connected that coupling may he made between the cars at the time when the trainline is coupled up between the cars. i f

This device does away with the chance of one or more retainer valves in a train being in wrong position or carelessly forgotten to be shifted to a release position. This saves a large amount of coal, as where retainer valves are not shifted to released position the engine must pull the train afgain'stnthe action O'l' the brakesfi It also thus prevents the flattening of wheels. Also where releasing'bralre when thespee'd of the train is below the speed point. retainers can be used, thus relieving strain on the draw bars.

It is to be particularly noted that in this 4 1 device we have provided a balanced valve 25 which will shiftto normal position without needing the assistance of the spring 26, this valve being so balanced that the pressure on the lower piston, w .ich acts to shift the valve to its open position, isslightly greater than the pressure on the upper piston holding the valveto the closed position. This difierence is very slight and in practice a difference of 1/20 of 1% will cause the movement of the valve to its open position. This difference is not enough to move the valve 1,4se,ses

alone against the friction of the valve when there is low pressure and it is then that the spring is necessary. This tension, however, is very slight and the resistance to the action of the magnet is very slight, due to the valve being balanced in this manner. This construction insures the valve going to its normal or open position in case the spring should breal We claim 1. The combination with the retaining valve oi an air brake system and an exhaust connection leading to said valve, of a valve controlling passage of the exhaust in said connection to the outside air, and electrically operated means for controlling said valve,

2. In an air brake system, the combina tion with a retaining valve and an exhaust connection leading thereinto of a valve controlling communication between said connection and the outside air and normally held in an open position, and electrically energized means closing said valve.

3. In an air brake system, the coniloination with a retaining valve and an exhaust connection leading thereto, oi a valve casing communicating with said exhaust connection and with the outside air, a normally open valve in the valve casing, and electrically operated. means acting when energized to close said valve.

4. In an air brake system, the combination Witha retaining valve and an exhaust connection leading thereto, of a valve casing communicating with said exhaust connection and with the outside air, a normally open valve in the valve casing, and electrically operated means acting when energized to close said valve and including a solenoid, and a coacting core operatively connected to the valve.

5. In an air brake system, a retaining valve, an exhaust connection leading thereto, a valve casing having a port connected to the exhaust connection and a port leading to the exterior air, a valve in the valve casing coaeting with said port, yielding means holding said valve in an open position, and eleetro-magnetically operated means for closing said valve and including a switch in the engine cab.

6. In an air brake system, a retaining valve, an exhaust connection leading thereto, a pipe leading from said exhaust connection, a valve easing into which the pipe opens and open at its ends to the exterior air, a pair of valve seats disposed in said valve casing, a pair of connected valves coacting with the valve seats, a valve rod on which the valves are mounted, a spring engaging the valve rods and normally holding the valves in an open position and away from said seats, and electrically controlled means for shifting said valves against the seats to out oii communication to the outside air.

7. In an air brake system, a retaining valve, an exhaust connection leading there to, a pipe leading from said exhaust connection, a valve easing into which the pipe opens and open at its ends to the exterior air, a pair of valve seats disposed in said valve casing, a pair of connected valves coacting with the valve seats, a valve rod on which the valves are mounted, a spring engaging the valve rods and normally holding the valves in an open position and away from said seats, and electrically controlled means for shifting said valves against the seats to cut oil communication to the outside air and including a solenoid electrically connected in circuit with a source of current and the switch, and a core operatively connected to the valve rod.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

GEO. B. EDINGER. J. S. MCCOY. 

